Accreditation, Certification & Education FAQs

Where can I obtain a copy of my previous continuing education report?

This is available in your EMS portal under the My Test and Eligibility Tab. There you will find “Active/Inactive CE”. By selecting this tab you will be able to enter a date range for the CE report and it will be generated.

How do I change my name?

The requirements are listed at EMS Provider Name Change Requests.

Where can I obtain my needed CE hours?

Information on continuing education resources is available at  Provider Resources.

How many CE hours do I need?
Will recertifying my National Registry also recertify my Virginia certification?

Recertification of your National Registry does not automatically recertify your Virginia certification. Your CE hours must be reported to our office through a course that has been approved in Virginia.

Can I get CE for my CPR course?

The Office of EMS does not issue course approvals for CPR classes. However, a Virginia Education Coordinator does have the ability to award CE for CPR. You should check with the program offering CPR to determine if they will be awarding CE.

How do I get the CE that I used for my National Registry recertification applied to my Virginia CE report?

To be awarded continuing education credit toward your Virginia requirements, the course must have been approved by our office and the continuing education reported to our office by electronic transfer. If you have completed courses outside of Virginia or that were not announced to our office, you will need to locate a Virginia Education Coordinator and inquire if they would be willing to review your courses and offer comparable credit. This is not a requirement so you should inquire prior to taking the classes with a Virginia Education Coordinator to determine if they are willing to award the credit.

I want to recertify at a lower level? How can I do that?

Virginia does not currently allow voluntary surrender of an ALS certification. If you wish to recertify at a lower certification level you will need to have the continuing education reported at that level and then on your anniversary month, our system will recertify you at the level you desire your certification to be issued at.

How can I challenge to gain certification as an ALS provider?

There is no challenge pathway for gaining ALS certification. Accredited ALS programs can allow advanced placement in ALS programs by awarding credit for prior learning. Contact the program director of the ALS program and inquire about their policy and what information you would need to provide to be considered.

Where can I find a certification course?

Certification courses can be located at: Certification Course Search

Can I take my course in another state and gain certification in Virginia?

Virginia offer reciprocity to any individual who is certified through the National Registry. Additionally, Virginia offers legal recognition at the EMT level if you have a state certification at any level. Information on reciprocity and legal recognition can be found at Becoming an EMS provider in Virginia.

Can I do my clinical and field rotations in Virginia if I am attending a program that is in another state?

No, in order to be considered a student in Virginia you must be enrolled in a course that has been announced to the Office of EMS and gained certification course approval.

Where can I receive assistance with logging into my EMS portal?

Information on gaining access to your portal and how to request assistance is located at Virginia EMS portal.